How to switch from Outlook.com to Hotmail [How-To Guide]
August 7, 2012 575
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Outlook.com is a new free web e-mail service by Microsoft intended to replace Hotmail. Using Outlook.com can be done by creating a new Outlook.com account or upgrading your existing Hotmail account to Outlook.com. If you have used Outlook.com and decided you want to go back to Hotmail, that can be done easily. This guide shows you how to do it.
Before We Begin
Before we being, take note going from Hotmail to Outlook.com does not change your e-mail address. This means if you created a new @outlook.com e-mail, that e-mail will stay with you when you go to Hotmail; if you converted your Hotmail account to Outlook.com, you will still retain the same Hotmail e-mail when you go back.
Also, downgrading from Outlook.com to Hotmail does not result in loss of data. All your e-mails, contacts, folders, etc. are converted with you. The only thing that changes when going from Outlook.com to Hotmail is the user interface; you get the old Hotmail inbox and features back.
Lastly, if you were forced to upgrade to Outlook.com from Hotmail, you cannot revert back to Hotmail. Going from Outlook.com to Hotmail is only for those people that voluntarily upgraded.
UPDATE: It looks like Microsoft is no longer allowing people to revert back to Hotmail from Outlook.com. Sorry people — you are stuck with Outlook.com, you cannot change back!
How To Go Back To Hotmail From Outlook.com (How To Turn Off Outlook.com)
The following are the steps you need to take to covert your Outlook.com account to Hotmail:
Note: To enlarge any images below, simply click on them.
- Login to Outlook.com.
- Once logged in, you will be taken to your Outlook.com inbox. From there click on the gear icon located near the top-right corner:
- Clicking on the gear icon will open a menu. From that menu click on Switch back to Hotmail:
- Next you will be prompted with a message asking for feedback. If you want to provide feedback, click on Send feedback; otherwise, click on Skip feedback:
- Done.
If you opted to send feedback, you will be asked a series of questions after which you will be taken to Hotmail; if you opted to not send feedback, you will be taken directly to Hotmail:
Conclusion
Switching between Hotmail and Outlook.com is very easy and dotTech’s two guides How To Upgrade From Hotmail to Outlook.com and How To Switch from Outlook.com to Hotmail make the process even easier thanks to our step-by-step directions with screenshots. So go, venture into the world of Microsoft e-mail without fear of permanent change. Enjoy!
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The old hotmail was already perfect, and completely unnecessary to change. Outlook is by far worse than hotmail, and it seems like lots of others share my opinion in this matter. If Mircosoft are smart they will revert this change and make people which are their costumers happy. I’am quite sure this would be the best for the majority of the community. PLEASE REVERT THIS CHANGE.
@Asgeir Ramfjord
It is just not going to happen. PERIOD. DO you honestly think MS gives a ***** what their users think?
They have spent millions, and millions of $$$$$$$ for Skype, and years worth of research on win 8.
IMHO you either adapt or move on.
Outlook.comm is too slow , I still can not return to my hotmail.com because I do not have that option , please inform me .
@majid
This has been repeated many times. There is no going back. Period.
Try deleting your browser cookies.
[@Kendra farns] Then you might as well say, screw Outlook, it can burn for all I care.
[@Anonymous]
Articulate as usual. it does however sound like a plan
[@Asgeir Ramfjord]
I hate Outlook, cannot chamge back to Hotmail since i dont see gear button on my screen, and dont see Sign Off link either.
Don’t botherAR..you cant change back,once you are in,you are in for good unfortunately.Your comment
NO GEAR puzzles me though,it shough be showing
on the top right corner,next to your name.b>[@Rani]
i hate the new outlook thing. ms are so stupid and trying to compete with others that it loses sight of being an innovator and just reverts to being a follower and poacher.
hotmail was great, they didn’t need to change it. but as it is, i guess i might just go to the competition and go to gmail. microsoft this is the last straw.
If you mean the Sign Out link, it should be just to the right of your name on the right-hand side of the screen, hidden behind whatever picture is there. If you click on the picture, a box opens and you can sign out. Many things on Outlook are hidden – behind arrowheads and what have you – presumably to make the site “easier” and more “user friendly”.
One comment about gmail. A friend of mine was using it, and when she tried to fill in some forms, she couldn’t do it – changed to her (old) Hotmail account, and all the drop-down windows dropped, and she could finally fill in the forms. So, with all its faults – and they are many – Outlook may still be the way to go.
[@Glenda Kanashige]
You say that Outlook may still be the way to go because your friend found out gmail was worse than Hotmail and, for this reason, decided to go back to what she had. I think you’re phrasing your statement backwards. I myself had a stint at gmail, a few years ago, just to “feel” it, and I did not like what I got. This is what made me stick with Hotmail, even paying for it.
The issue is NOT what your friend (or I) may lose by going to other email providers. It is what will we gain, being forced to “upgrade” to Outlook…
I wish you could provide a few creasons that made me less disgruntled, while waiting my turn to be “pushed” over to Outlook. Can you, please?
Thanks.
I hope so too. The old hotmail was so much better. It was unnecessary to switch to outlook. It shows how much control that we have over our “free” email. Microsoft is pretty much communicating indirectly that they have the power to control our likes and dislikes in terms of this free service. Personally, I was not aware of this change, it was a complete shocking to see my classic hotmail being switched to this horrible outlook. Hope Microsoft takes our thoughts into consideration and switch back to hotmail.
It was unnecessary to switch to outlook. It shows how much control that we have over our “free” email. Microsoft is pretty much communicating indirectly that they have the power to control our likes and dislikes in terms of this free service. Personally, I was not aware of this change, it was a complete shocking to see my classic hotmail being switched to this horrible outlook. Hope Microsoft takes our thoughts into consideration and switch back to hotmail.
JFK
237th & 238th comment and still you dont get it. Microsoft has added “ads” for renenue, bought Skype for millions of dollars, and “retired” (their word not mine) Mesh, Messenger, and others just so they can integrate Wn 8, Outlook.com, and office into the same interface so they can MAKE MONEY ON THE MOBILE DEVICE MARKET. They have come out with their own tablets.
Do you really think they are going to change?
we new outlook sucked now it crashed if you didnt change to outlook you still can use your email if ya did your crashed wtf
One thing I like better about Outlook – sorry, basically I still think it sucks – when you delete a message from the In-box or Junk Mail, the next message doesn’t automatically open as it did in Hotmail. Not much, I know, but that is all I can come up with for now.
Wait until you see the new calender and IM integration with Skype
What has happened to my hotmail. Outlook is awful and scrambled. I can’t access my contacts, nothing opens like it use to, I’m missing options, what made them think this is better. Gmail here I come!
wtf there is no switching back.. this s*x big time..
[@Asgeir Ramfjord]
Exceptionally slow to start up…in fact hopeless. Hotmail had better response. I suggest you try Seamonkey mail. Has a browser too but you can just use for mail. Beats Outlook hands down.
This GAY Outlook automatically updated my good hotmail and now its ugly and everything is so damn big >_<
Over time, Hotmail will be phased out and Outlook.com will be the free email service from Microsoft. As part of this transition, we’ve removed the option to switch back to Hotmail.
f**k outlook and hotmail it self
@matthew Try deleting your browser cookies.
@Tareq Constructive.
Hi,
I never accepted changing to outlook.com. Few days ago change happened (seems automatically)
Now, I’m not able to change to “classical view” anymore… should I’ve to deal with this mess for the rest of my days???
It’s not fair. Eveyone should have the opportunity to choose what he wants to use!
Is this democracy?